


The Ceremony

by shortandirritablee



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Am I angsting right?, Izumi needs more love, Linzin that I wasn't sure if it was worth tagging, Mention of OCs - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 20:01:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15692400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shortandirritablee/pseuds/shortandirritablee





	The Ceremony

It was supposed to be the happiest day of his life. Ever since he’d learned he could airbend, he’d spent almost every waking moment preparing for this; he’d read all the texts, done all the meditations and even created his own airbending technique: the air wheel. He’d yet to entre the spirit world but his father had told him that not all airbenders could and while he personally wasn’t satisfied, it didn’t seem to stop his father from finally declaring him an Airbending Master. _Master_. The word kept playing over and over again in his head.

When his dad had bent the incense-filled air around him, finally revealing his tattoos, he’d looked out at the crowd and seen, well, everyone. His mother, teary eyed; Uncle Sokka grinning from ear to ear; his “aunts” and “uncle” Toph, Mai and Zuko; Izumi, Lin with a shy smile and rosy cheeks, and Suyin. Even several other dignitaries he didn’t know yet who had been deemed important enough to witness the anointing of the first airbending master in over 100 years where here. Then he’d seen his siblings: close enough to mom to be “part” of the event but far enough off to the side to avoid being caught in any photographs. Bumi seemed to look right through him to the back wall, his face more expressionless than he’d ever seen in his life. Kya kept glancing back to him then around the room, frantically searching for her nearest escape once it was acceptable to leave.

_Why can’t you be happy for me? _He’d wanted to scream at them. He’d long since accepted that they were close to each other and he was the odd one out; the only airbender and constant subject to their pranks and teasing. When Bumi left for the forces much to their father’s chagrin, the division had become even more pronounced as he and Kya tiptoed around each other, until eventually she left too.__

__Now he was alone. Alone in his home and alone on the stage. All his work, all his dedication had been in anticipation of today, yet the only thing he felt was a pit of dread in his stomach._ _

__The ceremony ended with a thunderous applause and the reception got underway as everyone drank and celebrated him. He spent some of the evening simply being paraded around like a new handbag and then more of it with Lin until finally, _finally_ , he’d been left alone long enough to escape. And now he found himself at the beach, sat uncomfortably on some rocks, looking out into the ocean._ _

__“You know,” a feminine voice spoke behind him, “there are going to be a lot more functions where that one came from.” He turned to see Izumi approaching him, she was wearing a scarlet and gold dress that hugged her figure slightly, her long black hair swaying as she walked. He stood to meet her -had he always been taller than her? Then they sat down together._ _

__“What are you doing out here? Shouldn’t you be with the rest of them?”_ _

__“Could say the same to you.” She responded._ _

__“I wanted a bit of space from them.”_ _

__“Perhaps I did too. Or, perhaps while everyone else was celebrating, I noticed you weren’t okay. Do you want to talk about it?” Tenzin looked at her uncertainly. In all the time he’d known her, she’d been _Bumi’s_ friend. Sure, they’d got on well enough, but the age difference had often left her and his brother babysitting the younger children of Team Avatar when their parents got together.__

____“Who says I’m not okay?”_ _ _ _

____“It’s written all over your face for anyone not too busy to read.”_ _ _ _

____“Fine. Let’s say I’m not ‘okay’. Why would you want to talk to me? How could you even help me?”_ _ _ _

____“Because I understand how you feel.” At this, Tenzin felt his irritations from the day rise._ _ _ _

____“What? How could you _possibly_ understand? _No one_ understands! My father is this immensely important person who the entire world respects and when he’s gone I’ll be the _only _person who can carry on his legacy and bear the weight of our entire nation on my shoulders!"______

__________“Yeah. Wouldn’t know anything about _that_ , now would I?”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________She created a flame and idly passed it back and forth between her hands, contemplating her next words as light flickered over her headpiece. It was then that Tenzin tried to really look at her: not at the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation, just Izumi. Was it possible she _did_ know how he felt? Firelord Zuko was probably as close a friend as his father had ever had, save mom, but Tenzin now realised he didn’t know all that much about the man’s daughter. He suddenly found himself wanting to and at that moment, Izumi directed her attention back to him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“My parents had a hard time having children. By the time I was born and in the years that followed, it became evident that there would only ever be me.” She looked down at her hands. “Thankfully, I was a firebender. _Just_ the child mom and dad needed to appease the politicians. Now, there’s no doubt in my mind that my parents wanted _me_ and love _me_ just as I love them but as I got older, well, life became a little more complicated.” Tenzin could relate to being just what his parents had needed. After a nonbender and a waterbender, it was no surprise how relieved they’d been when he’d sneezed and blown himself ten feet into the air._______ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Eventually I got to go to the Fire Nation Academy, and there was always just this _air_ around other people, like they didn’t know what to do with me. A lot of the kids avoided me. Either because their families disliked me or were awed by me. And yeah, eventually I had Kimi, Rya and Wei Li, but to everyone else, I was the future of our nation! How were people _supposed_ to react to someone so young who would one day be the single ruler of an entire country?” Tenzin keenly understood the isolation she must’ve felt. Aside from Bumi, who else would she really have grown up with who saw anything other than the future head of state every time they looked at her?_____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“When I got older, it became a matter of the press trying to eat me alive; here and back home. People critiquing my intellect or taking the really _original_ route of just comparing me to my aunt because of my bending talent. The constant bombardment of think-pieces debating whether or not I’d live up to even half of what dad’s achieved as Firelord. When I was about your age, maybe a little older, I was declared a master too. Everyone was so happy, _I_ was so happy. Then about a week later it hit me, and I started sobbing at the dinner table.” Tenzin felt like Lin had hit him with a rock wall in one of their sparring sessions. For all his bending, he suddenly felt as though the air had been sucked out of him.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“How do you handle it?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Well, defeating a terrorist cell certainly helped establish myself outside of my parents.” She smiled to herself, “but I also learned when to go back to my family. I now know that I don’t have to carry the entire Fire Nation on my shoulders, and when my time comes to take charge, I will be ready. And so will you. But our time won’t be for a while yet, so you can’t let yourself spiral into a pit of worrying about the future. Do what you can for the world right now, and bit by bit you’ll become better-equipped for your future responsibilities.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Go back to my _family_ ,” he repeatedly bitterly, thinking back to his siblings at the ceremony. “That’d be a lot easier if Bumi and Kya didn’t hate me so much. I didn’t ask to be an airbender, could they just for _once_ be proud of me?"_____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________A sad expression crossed her face._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________“They _are_ proud of you, Tenzin.” He scoffed as his eyes acquired a burning sensation.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________________“They have a funny way of showing it.” Izumi sighed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________________“Look, I didn’t grow up with siblings, so I can’t say I relate to this, but even though they have a hard time expressing it around you, they are proud of you. Bumi’s told me so.” At that, Tenzin _laughed_.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________________“They’ve resented me ever since I started bending.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________________“Maybe a little, yes. I know Bumi gets jealous of you and Kya to a degree, but it’s not just because you have airbending and he doesn’t. It’s messier than that. You spend so much time with Aang and Kya with Katara. He feels like he’s missed out on a relationship with his parents that he should’ve had through bending. Why do you think he always spent so much time hanging out with me on Ember Island? He needed to get away from it. He’s spent his life being overshadowed by his baby brother and now you’re a master, I suppose it’s just sealed the nail in the coffin for him. He feels helpless.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________________“Why couldn’t he just tell me?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________________“Like I said: baby brother. He’s also far too stubborn and obsessed with his macho image to admit this to most people.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________________“Well, that’s not too helpful.” Izumi snorted._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________________“No, I supposed it’s not. But I do hope the other things I told you have helped.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________________“Yeah actually, I do feel better now.” As a lightness came over him, he turned to her and smiled. “Just, _how_ do you put up with him? Don’t you ever find him insufferable too? Like, ever?” She laughed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________________“Tenzin sweetie, your brother and I have been best friends since we were both in diapers. I call him out on his shit, he calls me out on mine and we move on because we’re stuck with each other and wouldn’t have it any other way.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________________“Really? How does Kenji feel about that?” At the mention of her boyfriend, Izumi blushed slightly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________________“Thankfully he’s not the jealous type. But having met him through Bumi probably means that he knows just how _not _interested in each other Bumi and I are. He knows we’re close and has no intention of trying to get between that, and he knows if he tried I’d fry him.”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________________“...He’s going to ask you to marry him soon, isn’t he?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________________“Yeah,” She smirked, “if he can get the guts to ask for my parents’ permission.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________________“So, will Bumi be going for the role as Kenji’s best man or your maid of honour?” This elicited another laugh from the princess._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________________“I’m sure he’ll definitely give it his all and take both jobs as seriously as is possible for him.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________________Seeing Izumi for what felt like the first time in his life, he started to realise that he could be okay too. That he could function. That he _could_ be the only airbending child of the last airbending avatar, get by, and maybe even form some amazing relationships just like she had. There was no comparison to how he’d felt this afternoon to now._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________________“Thanks for coming to find me. Really, I had no idea that- “_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________________“Hey, jerkbender!” As though talking about Bumi was enough to summon him, Tenzin saw his brother, sister and the Beifong girls approach. Knowing their conversation was coming to an end, he turned back and whispered to Izumi._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________________“You sure you’re happy about being stuck with him?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________________“Absolutely.” Grinning, she looked back to the figures coming towards them. “Hey there, Cadet _Dumbass _!” With feigned shock Bumi put on his best ‘mom voice’.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________“Young lady how dare you use that language with me!” Izumi ran and as they began chasing each other up and down the beach, Lin came up to him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________“You seemed stressed earlier. You uh… you feeling better now?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________Tenzin felt a warmth rising in his cheeks and Lin took his hand. He looked around at his little ‘family’. Kya had begun making sandcastles with Su and Bumi now had Izumi thrown over his shoulder, screaming and giggling like children. Looking between the two of them, he made eye contact. They didn’t smile at him, they didn’t change their expressions at all, but they each nodded. That would have to be enough for now._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________________“Yeah. Yeah I think I am.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
